How can CHP pummeling be excused? Editorial

In this July 1, 2014 image made from video provided by motorist David Diaz, a California Highway Patrol officer straddles a woman while punching her in the head on the shoulder of a Los Angeles freeway. The woman had been walking on Interstate 10 west of downtown Los Angeles, endangering herself and people in traffic, and the officer was trying to restrain her, according to a CHP assistant chief. The officer, who has not been identified, has been placed on administrative leave during an investigation. (AP Photo/David Diaz)

The head of the California Highway Patrol Commission, Joseph Farrow, admitted that the stomach-churning cellphone video of one of the agency’s officers pummeling a homeless woman as she tries to block him with her arms wounded his organization.

It did. It also raised serious questions about how officers deal with unstable individuals who can be seen as vulnerable or dangerous and how independent the investigation into the incident will be.

In attempting to arrest Marlene Pinnock, the 51-year-old homeless woman who had been walking barefoot along the westbound side of the 10 Freeway in and out of traffic lanes, an unidentified CHP officer managed to tackle her to the ground. He then got on top of her and threw punches.

The CHP didn’t discuss Pinnock’s mental health, but clearly she wasn’t in a rational state.

A passing motorist captured the incident on a cellphone. The uniformed officer is punching her wildly. It’s wrenching to watch but, unfortunately, all too familiar. We have seen beatings before. Most recently was the horrific case of Kelly Thomas, the homeless man killed by Fullerton police officers — a much worse beating, to be sure.

Farrow noted that the video shows only part of the officer’s and woman’s interaction, that the investigation must look into the context. Sure, but it’s hard to imagine that their interaction warranted a pummeling of a woman already on the ground.

Farrow promised a speedy, fair investigation. But will it be truly independent given that the investigative team is made up largely of law enforcement, including detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office?

Year after year news organizations across the country report on suspects with mental illness who are hurt or killed by officers.

The cases usually follow the same story line. Erratic behavior and then an officer or officers attacking a suspect who needed to be restrained. In some cases, weapons are involved. Then, if the scenario is public enough, it is predictably followed by outrage from the community.

The jails are filled with those facing their mental demons, and there’s a shortage of facilities to care for them.

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The CHP this year began an eight-hour course providing training to officers on how to deal with persons with mental illness. The course includes role play and interactive scenarios. Additionally, officers are required to take a six-hour course at the academy.

It’s unclear if the officer involved took the new course. If he did, it apparently wasn’t enough.

The CHP officer was probably more accustomed to handing out tickets and stopping speeding motorists than dealing with what the police report called a combative individual. But law enforcement needs to take greater responsibility for these kinds of egregious incidents.